Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota of the Oregon Ducks has officially entered the race to become eligible for the NFL.
On January 14, USA Today reported that the quarterback made the announcement and filed the required documents on Wednesday, just one day before the NFL deadline. He decided to let go of his senior year at Oregon to become eligible for the NFL Draft.
He stated in an ESPN report, "After meeting with my family I have decided to forgo my final year of eligibility and apply for the 2015 NFL draft," Mariota said. "My four years at the University of Oregon have been an awesome experience. I cannot thank Coach Kelly, Coach Helfrich, Coach Frost, the rest of the Oregon coaches and the support staff enough for molding me as a person, player and student-athlete."
He added, "The support I received from the university, the city of Eugene and Duck fans has been tremendous. I will always remember the great times and support I received. Once a Duck always a Duck. I will miss being with my teammates. Being a part of this team was something special that I will always treasure."
The Ducks captain led the team for three seasons. During the recent season, Mariota successfully steered his team to win over Florida State at the Rose Bowl. However, they lost the national championship game against Ohio State on January 12.
Mariota is expected to be one of the top prospects for the 2015 NFL Draft. Aside from the Heisman Trophy, Mariota also won the Associated Press Player of the Year, the Maxwell award, the Walter Camp award and the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. He had the most touchdowns in a single season with 58. 42 of these was from passes, 15 while made on the run and one was a touchdown catch, setting a conference. He also set the career mark for career touchdowns in the conference with 136. He is one of only four quarterbacks in FBS history to run for more than 2,000 and pass for more than 10,000 yards.
ESPN also reported that Mariota is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tallahassee.com reported that Mariota's biggest rival to the top draft pick would be Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who is also a Heisman Trophy winner. Winston announced his decision to opt for the draft one week before Mariota declared his eligibility.